Family firm governance factors and non-audit services in family business

Abstract Purpose - The purpose o f this study is to investigate the relationship between family firm governance factors and non-audit services (NASs) fees. This study also examines the moderating role of board gender diversity. esign/methodology/approach - This study uses regression analyses and hand-collected data o f 593 firm ear observations for a sample of non-financial Italian public family firms from 2014 t o 202 Findings - The results of this study show that family involvement o n the board i s positively related t o NASS fees, while family leadership is negatively associated with NASs fees. Moreover, board gender diversity moderates the relationship between family involvement on the board and NASs fees. Practical implications - This study offers practical implications by enhancing the understanding o f how ind under what conditions, governance factors in family firms may influence the decision-making process t‹ acquire NASs, thereby benefiting both investors and practitioners. Originality/value - This study provides novel empirical evidence to understand the heterogeneity among family firms in decisions concerning the acquisition of NASs. Keywords Family firms, External Auditing, Non-audit services, Corporate governance Paper type Research paper